Fear vs Football

The sheeple are starting to annoy me now. Of course, it's not their fault. The media have whipped them up into an incredible state of fear. Many so much so that even when (if) they're offered their freedom back they'll refuse to accept it.

A good case in point came today with English football. The Premier League announced that they've pencilled in June 8th for the date when they'll begin to finish the 19/20 season. This was quickly followed by cries of "Noooo! it's not safe!!" on Twitter and elsewhere. With former player, now pundit Gary Neville being one of the chiefest cheerleaders.

Football fans. Begging that football remain cancelled. Very sad to see.

It's worth remembering that Twitter isn't a good reflection of the real mood out there in the country, but still, it was quite depressing to see so many comments demanding it be postponed until "this is over." Which will be never, as there will always be flu viruses.

As I'm about to finish writing this Boris is due to start giving his first speech proper since returning to the fore as PM. There have already been a few precursors on social media suggesting it'll be further endless lock down. So it's unlikely I'll be watching - much too depressing. I'll no doubt catch the important soundbites on social media as the evening progresses.

Where Will The Bounce Come From??

I went into town earlier today. To do a bit of shopping. Sainsbury's. Ooh. Anyway, it was the first time I'd been in town since the start of the lock down and I was quite astounded how quiet it was. Obviously I knew it would be largely shut down, but still I expected a few more feet on the ground given we're now into week four and people are getting a little bit fed up moping around the house.

It was quite a depressing experience. I'm by no means an expert on economics so I won't try to make any predictions. However, I can't help but wonder where a "bounce back" will come from if we do start opening up again. People's shopping habits will have changed in this period. That may continue a little while. Many people will also still be apprehensive because of the virus. (Some folks have really been whipped up into quite a panic about it). So they may only start dipping their toes back into the water. Slowly easing themselves back into regular behaviour like visiting cafes or browsing clothing departments.

So I'm a little worried.

The decline of high streets was a major concern for towns and cities before the crisis hit. How will they cope now? Especially if there's continued uncertainty about "second waves", etc.

Also it'll be interesting to see if areas, be it in the UK or elsewhere, get a huge advantage from any extra confidence or 'braveness' they show in comparison to more germophobic areas.

Flu Strikes Forever

Another day in a world gone mad :)

I saw yesterday someone making the point that this lock down is the logical end point of 'health and safety' culture. Sadly I can't remember where I saw the tweet, so I can't give the person proper credit, however it was a wonderful insight.

We literally now cannot leave the house and meet other people because it's "too dangerous". Even though the fatality rate for this virus is clearly and undeniably now in the same ballpark as normal flu viruses.

In fact, that's another thing worth noting. Whenever you get people comparing this virus to regular flu it's often met with the angry response "It's. Not. Flu." It's becoming like another SJW type catchphrase. Almost like you're misgendering the virus.

Anyway, the 'health and safety' insight got me thinking further about where this may all be going. If the entire political establishment, in every single country, are fully invested in the "forever lock down" then it's pretty much game over for anyone against it. However, if the "right", for want of a better label, put up some resistance then we might see an endless battle.

I'm thinking something similar to the endless strikes of the 1970's. The left constantly striking to get their political demands. The right trying to break the strikes and get the economy moving. In the process looking like heartless cotton mill owners only bothered about money and economics. An obvious one to watch is the school re-openings. If teachers (and parents) refuse to re-open due to the "health risks" then they may effectively go on strike until it's "safe". It will then be a huge battle to get the schools open. This could go on endlessly back and forth. Especially with the so-called "second" and "third" waves, etc. This could then happen in any other sphere or industry.

Of course, they'll claim it's simply the "health" issue they're striking over. However it will be used to hold the country hostage to get all myriad different demands. As it already is now. Brexit delay. Universal Basic Income. Orange-man gone. And so forth.

Football Lock Down

I'll keep it short today. My opinion on where things are heading re lock down keeps shifting back and forth. Largely dependent upon the media source I'm consuming at the time. Sometimes I'll see something and think "Oh, the mood is definitely shifting, we might be returning to normal at some point." Other times I'm despairing at the dystopian madness I'm witnessing.

Earlier today I saw that a local music event has been postponed from this summer until June 2021! Which is just a crazy amount of time to drop something back. Perhaps even more bizarre are the calls for English football to be postponed for a possible 18 months. This just seems insane to me ..and very costly.

Football is huge both economically and culturally for the UK. Especially the Premier League. So any postponement is very damaging. Plus with no European football on TV due to shut downs and the Chinese Super League possibly returning by July then the entire focus of world football could shift. Chinese football was already beginning to attract big names, albeit ones coming to the end of their career. If the current situation continues they could end up with a captive market.

There's also the talk that pubs will be closed 'til Christmas (assuming they're not planning on cancelling Christmas altogether). So it feels like an all-out assault on British culture.

Some Little Follow-Ups

Self-replicating, naturally evolving political systems. Organic for the people.

Some little follow-ups to that last post (yes, two posts in a single day (!), I must be getting my act together).

It occurs to me that it may be sensible to separate the 'party system' or 'structure', from my own actual party. Though that party will obviously also use that structure.

I'm now thinking that perhaps the structure itself can be designed kind of like open source software. Where you put the design out there and anyone can then use or tweak it. I'm also thinking that it would also be useful to have clear and easy to follow advice that explains to any people thinking of standing as a politician the practical steps that one needs to go through. Tailored for individual countries ideally. So it's super easy for people wanting to get involved. Making it more of a copy and paste process, and giving independent candidates all the help they need. Unlike now where if you chose to do something like this you are completely on your own and in the dark. Struggling to make your way in a strange world for the first time.

(Having never been involved in politics myself I have no idea what practicalities someone would face and I'm sure it's quite complicated. Especially for a newbie. And the main parties certainly won't be offering any help to anyone not on their team. In fact, it reminds me of last year. Apparently in the run up to the local elections a person went to the local Labour Party office asking if they could give him advice about how to stand as an independent 😂 They were quite insulted and told him squarely to leave. Obviously it's hardly surprising they would do this and you wonder what the guy was thinking, but still, where else do you go to ask for advice like that?)

So, yeah, online help kits for people like the chap who went to the Labour HQ. Also a web forum of some sort where people could help each other and impart their advice would be good too.

Fresh Air and Liberty - Colours

I've also been considering colours. Y'know, the important stuff. Green and white seems like the natural way to go. Green for the fresh air/outdoors, with white seeming natural for the straight up liberty aspect.

However, I also like the idea of blue and green. So it's like an outdoor landscape. Green field below. Blue sky above.

Perhaps this could be the flag if one was ever needed.

Obviously some nice outdoorsy photographs of the landscape would be much more attractive. I'd probably better focus on the actual plans and policies before I get too invested in doing artwork though lol.

Fresh Air and Liberty.

I think it's probably time to start imagining my political party or movement into existence. That's assuming the fire of democracy hasn't completely went out in this Brave New World nova-landscape. I think I'm going to call it 'Fresh Air and Liberty'. The Fresh Air and Liberty Party perhaps ??

Given that it's Saint George's Day today it's probably a fitting time to officially christen it.

The name in many ways is an obvious response to our current circumstances. The lock down has in effect distilled things down to an essence. Purification by political crisis.

I like the name as it obviously comes with connotations of defending and upholding liberties, but it also suggests a care and love for the environment and natural world. Marrying personal liberty with our wider responsibilities.

Plus, who doesn't like freedom and fresh air.

The Structure..

I've been thinking about how I would structure a political party for a long time, and my thoughts are that the most effective way to do it would be to make it completely informal. In effect non-existent as an official party itself.

You don't have to apply to join. In fact, you can't apply, as there's nothing to apply to. It's a totally informal network, you simply state you're a member and you are one - and anyone can do this.

As there's no official party there's also no need for party funding. The rule would be only individuals receive funding, not the party. Exactly like independent political candidates. However, with this system they can unite under a common banner of policies and values. You can simply say "I'm standing as a 'fresh air and liberty' candidate please help fund my campaign."

"..but what if someone then does this who doesn't share those values?"

I believe the whole thing could be policed by the public. If constituents or party supporters don't approve of an individual they can simply choose to not support his/her campaign and give their support to someone else.

"..then what if the public or party support themselves then take things in a different direction? Or things just start breaking down because there's no central control??"

Then that's fine too. If the party fragments into smaller groups, perhaps even spawning whole new parties, then that will be an organic reflection of the situation. Allowing new ideas to grow into existence and also allowing core ideas and values to be protected. For example, the absolute freedom will mean that like-minded people will be able to support each other in their own networks without having to support or contend with "cuckoos in the nest".

If you think someone is a bad person, or politician. Or simply that their values are different to yours then you can choose to not support them, and just support the people you like. Unlike now where you may have to support a party begrudgingly, as there are people in the party you don't like or trust, because that's the only way to support the people and values in it you do like. Here you can pick and choose.

So it will all work organically - hopefully. I could even say like a virus.

I'll start fleshing this all out more as I go forward.

Another Lock Down Morning Well Spent

I woke up today fairly bright and early. About 8:30 am. However, it's now near midday. My morning has completely disappeared as once again I've spent hours arguing with people on Twitter.

Again, the lock down. I suppose I have little better to do though I guess.

It's the same argument I've been making on here over the last few days essentially. Namely that people are free to stay home themselves - no one is forcing them to leave the house - so they have no excuse for demanding that others be locked up.

This is usually met with the common refrain "..but I HAVE to leave my house to get shopping and walk the dog, so you're putting me at risk you selfish person."

I then have to explain how both these things are choices.

When you choose to walk your dog you're weighing up the happiness and health of the dog against the potential risk you're posing to other people outside. Of course, I'm completely against the lock down, so I would never want anyone to not walk their dog, but it does serve to illustrate the point. It is a decision. So why can't we, as individuals, make the same risk calculation for our own health and happiness? Or for that of our friends and loved ones with their consent?

The shopping argument is just as easy to unpick ..and much, much more amusing too. Firstly, you can get food delivered at home, to your doorstep. People then of course reply;

"...b-b-but there's a long waiting list for food deliveries :(( "

However, if there's a problem with food delivery surely you should be demanding that governments (and companies) fix that problem. Not demanding that your fellow humans have their rights stripped so you can go to the local shop without fear.

Then secondly, and this is what I really enjoy pointing out. Getting food is also a risk calculation. Does my need for food outweigh the risk of catching or spreading a flu virus?

So I quite enjoy turning the argument back on people and saying "I'm sure you could last a few weeks or even months without food. Yet you still choose to leave the house and risk the lives of others to satiate your hunger. How selfish."

It's funny how these people are always demanding sacrifices from other people, yet when it's their turn to suffer there's suddenly a million excuses.

Lock Down vs Options

Just a few follow up thoughts on the lock down.

My general feeling is that the 'wisdom of the crowd' will always outstrip any soviet-style top-down management when it comes to a crisis like this. I guess I'm saying trust the public essentially.

• If there's a virus going round with a death rate of, let's say 0.5%, then some people will choose to stay home.

• If there's a virus going round with a death rate of 20% then lots and lots of people will choose to stay home.

So the public reaction will always be proportional to the risk to a large degree anyway, regardless of whether a government uses force of law or not. That's not to say that government compulsion is never ever necessary or justified. It does however suggest that any such action should be a last resort, and only used strategically, where there is no other option.

Information, Advice, Options

I think if I was designing a strategy for dealing with something like this I'd have a simple, three-pronged plan for managing the general public.


Good information. Good advice. Good options.


Good information would simply be providing easy access to good data and other related information. From a variety of sources.

Good advice would essentially be the government saying "this is our assessment of the situation, ...this is what we recommend."

Good options would then be governments helping citizens to make maximum effect of whatever choices they make as individuals. So, for example, "We highly recommend that you stay home and self isolate for the next two weeks, however, if you choose not to do that we recommend that you take the following precautions when you do go out. If you need PPE call this number and we'll have some delivered to your home, etc, etc".


Access to information. Access to resources. Good options. Trust people to understand their personal individual situation better than any government can. Maximise the collective intelligence of the nation. Help foster an organic, flexible response.

I Haven't Been Lazy, I've Been Arguing With People :)

I've been lazy, I haven't posted in the last few days. I shouldn't really have any excuses being under house arrest, but still the time has escaped me. The main reason is that I've spent so much time on Twitter, both arguing with people and just following the general goings-on, that I've exhausted my ability to stare at a screen.

I don't really enjoy the arguing, but I feel like I need to keep popping the little bubbles of hysteria that are out there in the country.

It generally goes like this; I see someone demanding more lock down. I then reply with a tweet along these lines..

(click to enlarge)

I feel like a bit of a prick doing it, but I really feel it's important to point out to people that they are, in effect, dictating to other people. They're not really thinking about the rights of others - and of themselves by extension. It's a worrying trend.

My general argument is that you have the choice (and responsibility) to protect yourself, so you have no need to be demanding that others do the same. You can choose not to leave the house. If you do leave the house you can choose to avoid people and crowded places. You can likewise choose to wear a face mask or other PPE. You can even choose to wear a full hazmat suit and carry around a little bottle of spray disinfectant to wipe down every surface you touch if you so wish.

All free choices. You can quite literally never leave the house for the next 18 months and have everything you need delivered to your doorstep by Amazon or some other online delivery service. You can have zero human contact - zero opportunity to catch something. So it's simply not fair or right that you demand, under force of law, that others stay home ..so that you can leave the house yourself.

Of course, people may say "..but I have to leave the house to go to work." Which is a fair argument, but again, you can choose to quit your job. Or take leave. Certainly not a nice thing to have to do, and I wouldn't count on the government helping out adequately. However, it is a choice, and many people have had that choice completely removed, losing their jobs or businesses because of this shut down.

So again, it's a hypocritical argument to say. "The risk to human life is so great that we need to lock down. Even if it means losing millions of jobs ..except my job that is. I need to go to work. I have bills to pay."

Instantly, all of a sudden, the economy matters and people need to go to work because they have bills to pay.

Likewise if the government isn't giving you the financial support needed to stay home then you should be complaining to them and demanding that they sort it out. You shouldn't be demanding that they strip the rights of other people.

Anyhow, like I said, I don't really enjoy the arguing with people. Plus the back and forth often goes on for hours. However, it seems like the only practical thing I can do to help dampen the madness and get this situation over with sooner rather than later.

A Globalist Hissy Fit ?

Where are we today? It's such a bizarre situation. I keep swinging between optimism that this lock down will end to a pessimism that we've witnessed some kind of a "falling of an iron curtain" and that things may never be the same again. It's very hard to read the overall situation. My general feeling is that it's all in flux and that things are largely unpredictable.

The desire to damage Trump and push back Brexit makes me think that this is, in essence, some type of globalist hissy fit. If that's the case then patience is the key. It will lose energy and the narrative will begin to break down sooner or later. There are so many different strands beyond the general politics though, so I fear I may be missing too much to make a good assessment.

Watching the west fail so badly has made me think that something better is needed though. So I've begun thinking about long term solutions. Like an actual new political party, or some other vehicle to achieve a more harmonious world. I actually have some quite interesting ideas. I've been thinking about how to design the perfect political party for some time now. I think I have some novel solutions to the usual problems. Now this crisis has also forced me to consider the policies, or core values. So that is beginning to coalesce as well. I may post further on this topic over the coming weeks (months ?, years ?? ) of lock down. I might as well put the time under house arrest to some good use. Stay tuned.

This Coming Fall

I'll keep it nice and short today. Just visited Tesco. Big long queue outside. Everyone 2 metres apart. If it wasn't for the glorious sunshine it could've been an image from the Soviet Union.

Some people in masks, though not too many, which is at least something. Very depressing to watch the country subdued like this though.

Also there is now talk of easing the lock down. We're seeing this happen ever so slightly in some of the European countries at the moment. Personally I'm expecting a slight easing, then BOOM, second wave. The "second wave" which all the media pundits and "health experts" seem to talk about so fondly. No doubt just in time for the US election. I really hope this isn't the case. Common sense must return to the world sooner or later surely?

If not though I suspect it will be Trump vs COVID-20 in the race for the White House this fall.

The Old Man's Choice

I've been thinking about "social distancing" (how can you not at this time).

🚨 "2 metres apart, no visiting friends or relatives!" 🚨

Obviously I completely disagree with all this. Especially the enforced nature of it - the lack of choice (though I am acquiescing - I'm not that much of a rebel ...not yet at least anyway).

Anyhow, I've been thinking about why in particular I disagree with this. What exactly is my rationale? And further to this; how can I communicate this rationale to other people in a clear and easy way. I have another article lined up that will deal with all this in much more detail - I think I can make a very good case for my position, that tackles these problems from the root up. In a very logical, and more importantly, human way. For now though I'm going to pose one specific question.

The Old Man's Choice

(Some funny old people from olde times

- actually a crop of a picture titled "Sippers and

Topers", whatever that means, c. 1900*)

I'm going to give you a hypothetical situation. Let's say we have a man who's 90 years old, and let's say we know that this man has 6 months left to live (don't ask how we know, we just do).

Now there's a nasty flu virus going around and this man has two choices.

Option 1) He goes into isolation. Inside, on his own. Occasionally visited by healthcare professionals replete with face masks, etc, who bring his food, medicine and other essentials. In this scenario he lives the full 6 months.

Option 2) He doesn't go into isolation and just continues his life as he usually would. He sees his family and his grandchildren. He pops down the pub every Sunday for a beer and his lunch. He goes to the odd football match with his son to watch his favourite team. However, in this scenario there's the possibility that he catches the nasty flu virus that's going round and dies at some point before the 6 months are up.

So which choice should he take? And perhaps more importantly who should decide?

Now personally I think he should decide. It's his life and his decision, and I believe he should have the right to weigh up the risk for himself. Just as people normally do for all manner of things that have any element of danger. I don't think any person or any government should ever have the right to take that free choice away from a person.

Were I myself in that position I'd like to think I'd go with "option 2". I'd much rather enjoy my life, see my loved ones and take the risk. Again though, that's just me, and no matter how strongly a case I can make for that option it still wouldn't give me the right to impose it on someone else against their wishes.

I suspect, like me, a lot of older people would also plump for "option 2". In fact, I know some in real life right this instant. However, this current lock down - especially if it continues for much longer - will most surely deny many, many people that option. Robbing them of the chance to spend their precious time with the people they love, doing the things they like doing, and enjoying the world around them to its fullest.

What do you think? ..and if you disagree what is your rationale for removing this right from someone?


/////////////////////

*I've actually looked up what "sipper" and "toper" mean. A sipper is someone who sips their drink - probably could've worked that one out. A toper is a drunkard :)  ..remember, only indoors or it's the Stasi!

Lock Down, Christians and the B-52's

Well, I set my alarm and managed to force myself out of bed nice and early. Had a decent day. Went for my state allowance of daily exercise by going for a walk. Did some reading. I'm now sitting here typing at 6 pm in the evening with heavy eyelids, feeling half-asleep.

In my last post - well, my last post proper - I explained my thinking behind this c o r o n a v i r u s event. That was about a month ago. We've since had three weeks of "lock down" in the UK. In effect martial law. With no clear end in sight. Very strange times. My views on it all haven't really changed, though I understand the methodology much better now. At the time of posting I felt very much like a lone voice. I saw this coming in technicolor. It wasn't nice to witness it. Since then however we've seen a lot of people coming out, mainly just in the alternative sphere though sadly, offering a counter narrative. Pointing out the madness, and often the dishonesty too.

I'm going to try my best to avoid all that stuff on here and keep it more personal. If anyone wants to follow what I'm following though feel free to visit my Twitter page (see the sidebar) where I'll no doubt be retweeting stuff along with other myriad nonsense.

So what have I been doing these last few weeks, apart from shooting off on Twitter of course. Well, I've actually been cracking on with my work of fiction a little bit (!) - up to chapter 10 now. So that's something. Hopefully I can keep that up. I've also been getting into the B-52's. What a great band. Some brilliant little gems in their back catalogue. I really had no idea they were so good.

I'm quite enjoying this track at the moment.

(B-52's - Ain't It A Shame

- some great images in the video as well)

I've also been tackling a Rubik's Cube that one of my nephews left at the house. I kinda get the feeling that the lock down won't be over until I complete it. I'm still struggling at the moment. My latest technique is to begin with the corners, which is offering some improvement. I'm sure there's a knack to it. Just a case of figuring out what that knack is exactly.

...and Christianity

Finally, I've also found myself becoming more Christian weirdly.

I'm not a literalist Christian by any measure. That's for sure. The linked to book in the sidebar pretty much elucidates all my views on that. In fact, my views on Christianity haven't really changed in the slightest in any real practical sense. It's more of a feeling I guess.

I've always prayed in times of crisis (I feel a little embarrassed saying that - classic Anglo attitude I guess). Mainly for family members in hospital and things of that nature. It's certainly not a frequent thing I do. Nor something I would do with any specific ceremony (if there is a God I very much doubt he's bothered about how I pray). It's more a personal thing.

Anyway, watching the wave of soviet-style chicanery wash over the whole western world. Our liberties disappearing with barely a whimper. I did pray. Quite a lot actually, and very sincerely. I even had a few moments that felt somewhat ordained. Like some sort of spiritual awakening.

In the days leading up to the weekend before the week before the UK lock down - if that makes sense. Trump declared that Sunday, March 15th would be a National Day of Prayer for the American nation.

(Trump's national prayer tweet)

On Twitter I was semi-joking about this, however I also felt a strong resonance with the sentiment on a personal level. Again that Anglo, or British attitude. We see ourselves as too smart to do something as stupid as praying to a god that may not even be there. So even if we do we do it in a way that makes light of the fact. Giving us an excuse to pretend that really we're not doing it at all.

In fact, I actually shared the Trump tweet on Facebook and some of my friends left a laughy face, thinking I'd shared it as a joke. As in "ha, look at these crazy Americans praying XD."

At the time, partly because of this godless British attitude, I had more faith in America than I had in the UK. Again, at the time I felt pretty much on my own out here. Like no one else really saw what was coming. It was very depressing to watch it all unfold. Anyway, on the evening before the 15th I semi-joked on Twitter and fully prayed in private.

The next day I then awoke to see Peter Hitchens stepping up to bat for freedom.

(Peter Hitchens' tweet)

It's quite funny looking back 😂😂 However, he was the first person in the British press to offer any sort of protest or opposition, and seeing him do it gave me a great deal of reassurance at the time. He is of course a God-fearing Christian himself. So it felt very fitting, and the timing was perfect.

I've since watched him patiently defend freedom and liberty on Twitter and elsewhere. It's been like watching a master batsman at the crease, defending the wicket over a long lonely innings. Quite heroic. There are still some very good and honest people out there thank heavens.

(A picture I took on my state sanctioned walk today

- Eston Cemetery, Middlesbrough)

Oh, and finally, on a lighter note. I started this year talking about getting a passport didn't I. That was literally the main thing on my to do list, and I finally got it all sorted in February. So it seems typically ironic that I finally have one now that the country is completely locked down. So much for that. Not that I would've ever went anywhere anyway really.

At least it gives this blog a little bit of pathos though :)

Might Pop My Head Back Out Of My Turtle Shell :)

I think I might start posting daily again tomorrow

..if I can get my sleep pattern back into a nice rhythm in these strange times that is.

Alarm clock set.